Hospital drain bag



May 12, 1959 R. w` PRICE HOSPITAL DRAIN BAG Filed Feb. 24, 195e IN V EN TOR. #2L/5s el/ W price BYJSMGumcLJZ F drm w ATTORNEY United States Patent() M HOSPITAL DRAIN BAG Russell W. Price, Newton, Mass.

Application February 24, 1956, Serial No. 567,677

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-275) This invention relates to a drain bag for hospital use.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved drain bag for use in hospitals for connection to a drainage tube and which is adapted to be suspended from the frame of a hospital bed or other support in a simple and convenient manner. i

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the drain bag hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the present drain bag suspended from the frame of a hospital bed;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation detail view of the present drain bag;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional detail view showing the mouth of the bag closed.

In general the present invention contemplates a novel solution to the problem of drainage collection and disposal for use in hospitals and which is designed to replace the drainage equipment now in use, such prior equipment comprising the usual glass containers having a closure arranged to receive the drainage tube and wherein the closure is provided with an atmospheric opening to permit air to escape as the container is filled. Such glass containers are usually placed on the floor and are subject to several disadvantages, such as liability of breakage; bulky and heavy to carry and to handle for sterilizing; require a relatively large amount of storage space; and in use the escaping air from the glass container may carry unpleasant odors into the hospital room.

In accordance with thepresent invention the present drain bag includes an outer flat plastic holder provided with a detachable handle for attaching the holder to the frame of the bed and a disposable inner plastic bag which may be tightly connected to the drainage tube leading from the catheter in the patient. In practice the plastic inner disposable container may be placed in the holder in a at condition, and duringthe drainage operation the flat plastic `bag may expand so that noair outlet is required, and as the flat inner bag expands theflat outer bag of plastic may also expand or open up to accommodate the increasing distention of the inner bag. In use when the drainage operation is completed the drainage tube may be shut `off by the usual clamp and removed from the inner bag whereupon the inner bag Vis immediately sealed. The detachable handle may then be removed, and the novel outer bag may be closed fortransporting the `disposable inner bag to the laboratory for examination or to the disposal point to be discarded. The plasticouter bag may then be sterilized and stored for future use, a new disposable inner bag being provided for each drainage operation. Thus it will be seen that in practice the present flat plastic bag is unbreakable; may be conveniently attached to the bed frame or other support; is light in weight and easy to handle when carrying and during sterilization, and maybe stored in a relatively small space; and since little or no air escapes from the inner bag during the `drainage operation unpleasant odors vare prevented from entering the hospital room.

2,886,036 Patented May 12, 1959 ICC Referring now to the drawings, the present drain bag, indicated generally at 10, includes an outer container or holder 12 provided with a detachable handle 14 for suspending the bag from the frame of a bed or other support, as shown in Fig. 1, and an inner disposable container 16 tted within the outer bag, the open end or mouth of the inner bag being adapted to be bunched together and detachably secured around the end of the drainage tube 17 leading from the catheter inserted in the patient being drained.

The outer bag or holder 12 may and preferably will comprise a at bag made from two at sheets of a transparent plastic material, the two sheets forming the side walls 18, 20 of the flat bag being heat sealed together at the marginal edges along the bottom 221, and the two adjacent opposed sides 24, 26 forming a ilat bag sealed on three sides and open at the top or mouth thereof. In practice the plastic` material preferably comprises a highly polished transparent vinyl chloride plastic for maximum transparency and having characteristics such as to render it capable of withstanding sterilization by steam without adverse effect. The open end or mouth of the outer bag 12 is provided with closure means, herein shown as a pair of snap fasteners, one side wall 18 having the socket portions 28 of `the fasteners secured thereto and the other side wall 20 having the stud portions 30 secured thereto for cooperation in closing the mouth of the outer bag 12 when desired, as shown in Fig. 4, such closure being effected for transporting a lled and closed inner bag from the bed to the disposal point. The detachable handle 14 may comprise an elongated strap of vinyl chloride plastic material of suitable width and having the same characteristics as the outer bag material. As herein shown, the strap or handle 14 is provided with a pair of snap fasteners at both ends of the strap, one end having the stud portions 32 of the fasteners secured thereto and the other end having the socket portions 34 secured thereto, the strap fastener elements being arranged for cooperation with the corresponding portions 28, 30 of the fastener elements carried by the side walls 18, 2i) respectively of the outer bag. Thus, in use one end of the strap may be detachably secured to a side wall of the outer bag, the other end being looped around a supporting structure, such as a frame portion of a bed, and then detachably secured to the other side wall of the outer bag to suspend the bag in a convenient position as shown in Fig. l. It will be observed that the fastener elements 28, 30 are arranged to face inwardly so that the ends of the straps extend within the outer bag, thus forming a minimum obstruction on the outside of the bag and also enabling the opposed fastener elements 28, 30 to be `used to'close the mouth of the bag, as above described, when the handle 14 is removed or detached therefrom. l l

The inner bag comprising the disposable container 16 may and preferably will comprise a relatively strong, ilexible and leakproof transparent polyethylene plastic material which may take the form of an extruded fiat tube, heat sealed at the bottom, as indicated at 36, and `open at the top. The disposable bag 16 may be fitted within the outer bag, as shown in Fig. Zwith sufficient clearance along the side edges to permit normal expansion thereof.

3 of the inner bag and the tube extended therebetween and then twisted to secure the same in place.

As herein illustrated, the outer bag may be provided with graduated markings 38 for indicating the approximate number of centimeters of iluid contained in the inner bag. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention in order to protect such markings from being worn off or washed off during sterilization, one side wall 18 is made of two plies of transparent vinyl plastic, one ply 18a being printed with the graduated markings and the other ply 18h then being laminated on top of the printed face as indicated in Fig. 2.

In operation the inner bag 16 is placed within the outer bag in a flattened condition so that little or no air is contained therein, and as the inner bag 16 is filled by gravity during the drainage operation the weight of the fluid effects expansion or distention of the inner bag which likewise effects a corresponding expansion and separation v of the side walls 18, of the outer bag, such expansion and separation of the side walls 18, 20 increasing as the volume or amount of fluid is increased. Thus, the markings 38 are graduated in accordance with such variations in volume as effected by increasing amounts of uid and separation of the side walls to indicate the approximate number of cubic centimeters of fluid contained in the bag. For convenience in manufacture the inner ply 18a may also be provided with a mark 40 indicating the approximate position of the heat seal 22 to assure uniformity in the markings relative to the bottom of the bag.

In practice the transparent vinyl chloride plastic material of the outer bag or holder 12 may be about .O16 of an inch in thickness and possesses characteristics which permit repeated sterilization of the bag by steam at 255 for twenty minutes without any adverse eiect thereon. Preferably, a cloth or paper lining is inserted into the bag between the two side walls thereof during such sterilization to prevent adherence or clouding of the adjacent inner faces of the side walls.

From the description thus far it will be `seen that the present drain bag 12 is designed to be suspended from a bed frame or other convenient support, such as an operating table, stretcher or the like by means of the snap fastener strap 14, the drainage tube 17 being inserted within the inner bag 16 and tightly secured thereto by the twister fastener 37, thus preventing any odors from escaping from the bag. In practice the inner bag 16 is initially placed within the outer bag in an absolutely flattened condition so that there is practically no air within the bag 16 at the start of the drainage operation. When the bag is filled the drainage tube 17 may be closed olf by the usual shutoif clamp and the twister 37 loosened to remove the drainage tube from the bag, the twister being again immediately twisted to tightly seal the mouth of the disposable bag. The detachable handle 14 may then be unfastened from the outer bag or holder 12 and the side walls 18, 20 thereof closed by the snap fasteners 28, 30 for transporting the disposable bag to the laboratory for examination or to the disposal point. The inner bag and its contents may then be discarded whereupon the outer bag may be sterilized and provided with a new disposable inner bag. In practice a label with the patients name and other information may be adhesively attached tothe bag.

From the above description it will be seen that the present drain bag for hospital use is a radical departure from the prior system of using glass drainage containers requiring an atmospheric opening to permit air to escape as the drainage fluid enters the container with its obvious disadvantage of releasing unpleasant odors. The present plastic drain bag also eliminates liability of breakage and lends itself conveniently to storage and sterilization. It has also been found that the present drain bag is more economical in use than the prior glass container and its inherent disadvantages.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has 4 been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A drain bag of the character described comprising a flat transparent `plastic bag having two opposed side walls heat sealed together on three sides and open at the top, fastening elements secured to said opposed side walls medially of the upper edges thereof, a detachable handle for said bag comprising a length of plastic material having fastening elements at both ends thereof for detachable cooperation with said bag fastening elements whereby to permit suspension of the bag from a bed frame, a drainage tube, and an inner disposable transparent plastic container of a width substantially conforming to and fitted within the bag and connected in airtight relation to said drainage tube, said inner container being initially flat and substantially devoid of air and capable of distention upon filling thereof, said opposed side walls being capable of spreading apart upon distention of said inner container.

2. A drain bag as defined in claim l wherein one of said opposed side walls is provided with markings indicating the volume of the drainage when the side walls are spread apart, said one side wall comprising two plies of transparent plastic laminated together with said markings being printed on the inner face of one of said plies prior to lamination thereof.

3. A drain bag as dened in claim l wherein the inner container comprises a flexible plastic material and having an open mouth portion capable of being bunched together around the end ofthe drainage tube, and means for tightly connecting the hunched mouth portion to said drainage tube.

4. A drain bag as defined in claim 3 wherein the innel-` container comprises an extruded tubular polyethylene material attened and heat sealed along the bottom edge.

5. A drain bag comprising a at transparent outer bag having two opposed side walls heat sealed together along opposed sides and the bottom and open at the top, means detachably connected to the side walls for suspending the bag from a support, a drainage tube, an inner disposable transparent plastic container of a width substantially conforming to and tted within the outer bag and having its mouth portion bunched and detachably connected in airtight relation to said drainage tube, said inner container being initially at and substantially devoid of air and capable of distention upon lling thereof, the opposed side walls of said outer bag being capable of spreading apart upon distention of said inner container, said outer bag having markings thereon indicating the Volume of the drainage within said inner container, said outer bag being adapted to be disconnected from its support and said inner container being adapted to be detached from its drainage tube and sealed for transporting the inner container to a disposal point.

6. A drain bag as defined in claim 5 which includes means for closing the open end of the outer bag to prevent displacement of the sealed inner bag during transporting of the same.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,672,322 Keiser June 5, 1928 1,714,265 Gurwick May 21, 1929 2,328,569 McGraw Sept. 7, 1943 2,464,933 Kaslow Mar. 22, 1949 2,595,934 Ginsburg May 6, 1952 2,652,187 Steen et al. Sept. 15, 1953 2,662,525 Priebe Dec. 15, 1953 2,701,565 Gewecke Feb. 8, 1955 2,721,553 Perry Oct. 25, 1955 2,722,368 Gottsegen Nov. 1, 1955 2,723,696 Kase Nov. 15, 1955 2,746,456 De Camillis May 22, 1956 

